Compositions and methods comprising bacteria for improving behavior in neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

Some embodiments include bacterial species for use in treatment of one or more autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and/or schizophrenia symptoms in a subject in need thereof. The subject in need thereof can have a gut microbiota signature characteristic of an adult. The bacterial species can include Bacteroides (e.g., B. fragilis, B. thetaiomtaomicron , and/or B. vulgatus ), and/or Enterococcus (e.g., E. faecalis, E. faecium, E. hirae, E. avium, E. durans, E. gallinarum , or E. casseliflavus ). Upon treatment, one or more ASD-related behaviors can be improved in the subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for improving behavioral performance in a subject, the method comprising:
 identifying the subject as a human who is at least three years old and in need of improvement of behavioral performance, wherein the subject in need of improvement of behavioral performance has an adult gut microbiota signature comprising at least 500 different species of microbes; and 
 administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria, wherein the subject is administered no antibiotics, 
 thereby improving the behavioral performance of the subject. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject suffers from anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, or a pathological condition with one or more of the symptoms of ASD or schizophrenia. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria comprises  B. fragilis.    
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria comprises  B. fragilis, B. thetaiotaomicron, B. vulgatus , or a mixture of two or three of the listed bacteria. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising administering an amount of  Enterococcus  bacteria to the subject. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria is  B. fragilis.    
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria is in a composition substantially free of bacteria other than the  Bacteroides  bacteria. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of  Bacteroides  bacteria is in a composition substantially free of bacteria other than  B. fragilis.    
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria is administered orally. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein improving behavioral performance comprises improving a communication behavior, a repetitive behavior, anxiety, or a combination of two or three of these listed behaviors. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the human subject is an adult. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adult gut microbiota signature comprises phyla, in order of greatest to least abundance, of: (a) Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria; or (b) Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of the one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria is administered in a single composition. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount of the one or more  Bacteroides  bacteria is administered in two or more compositions. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject suffers from autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gut microbiota signature comprises at least 1000 different species of microbes. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gut microbiota signature comprises at least 500 different species of microbes as determined by comparison of sequences of 16s rRNA subunits. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the  Enterococcus  bacteria is selected from the group consisting of:  E. faecilis, E. faecium, E. hirae, E. avium, E. durans, E. gallinarum , and  E. casseliflavus.